China Eastern Airline, a Chinese Boeing jet crashes today in mountains with 132 on board

A China Eastern Airlines passenger jet with 132 people on board crashed in the mountains of southern China on Monday while on a flight from the city of Kunming to Guangzhou, China's Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said.

The jet involved in the accident was a Boeing 737 aircraft and the number of casualties was not immediately known, state broadcaster CCTV said. Rescue services were on their way to the scene, it said. There was no word on the cause of the crash. 

The plane was a 6-year-old 737-800 aircraft, according to Flightradar24. "Can confirm the plane has crashed," China Eastern Airlines said in a statement in which it also gave details of a hotline for relatives of those on board. The CAAC said the aircraft lost contact over the city of Wuzhou. 

It had 123 passengers and nine crew on board. 

State media said earlier there were 133 people on board. "The CAAC has activated the emergency mechanism and sent a working group to the scene," it said in a statement. Media cited a rescue official as saying the plane had completely disintegrated. 

A fire sparked by the crash burned down bamboo and trees before being put out. The flight departed the southwestern city of Kunming at 1:11pm (0511 GMT), FlightRadar24 data showed, and had been due to land in Guangzhou, on the south coast, at 3:05pm (0705 GMT). The plane had been cruising at an altitude 29,100 feet at 0620 GMT, according to FlightRadar24 data. Just over two minutes and 15 seconds later, the next available data showed it had descended to 9,075 feet. In another 20 seconds, its last tracked altitude was 3,225 feet. 

The website of China Eastern Airlines was later presented in black and white, which airlines do in response to a crash as a sign of respect for the assumed victims. Boeing China's website also switched to black and white. Shares of Boeing Co were down 6.4 per cent at $180.44 in premarket trade. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Aviation data provider OAG said this month that state-owned China Eastern Airlines was the world's sixth-largest by scheduled weekly seat capacity and the biggest in China. 

It has had a relatively strong performance in the domestic market during the coronavirus pandemic despite tight curbs on international flights, OAG said. The safety record of China's airline industry has been among the best in the world over the past decade. 

According to Aviation Safety Network, China's last fatal jet accident was in 2010, when 44 of 96 people on board were killed when an Embraer E-190 regional jet flown by Henan Airlines crashed on approach to Yichun airport in low visibility. 

The 737-800 model that crashed on Monday has a good safety record and is the predecessor to the 737 MAX model that has been grounded in China for more than three years following fatal crashes in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia.

Saudi Arabia wins ‘Best Pavilion’ award & 2 honorary awards at #Expo2020Dubai

Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has won the ‘Best Pavilion’ award, as well as two honorary awards.

The Kingdom was selected by EXHIBITOR magazine, which hands out awards for each edition of the world-famous exhibition. The Saudi Arabia pavilion won the award in the ‘large suites’ category. 

It also received honorary awards for best exterior design and best display. 

The pavilion had earlier won the Platinum Certificate in LEED by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). It also holds three Guinness World Records for the largest interactive light floor, the longest interactive water curtain and the largest interactive digital screen mirror. 

EXHIBITOR magazine is the main evaluator of Expo world fairs and has organised the competition for more than 30 years. The magazine honours the best-designed exhibitions through the contest, based on the assessment of an international committee comprising design, marketing, and events experts. The Saudi pavilion at Expo 2020 has received over four million visitors. It provides an outstanding experience that takes visitors along a journey through the Kingdom’s past, present and future. 

Technology is mixed with knowledge and creative arts to reflect Saudi Arabia’s growth and prosperity in all fields.

Culled From Khaleej Times.

The UAE announces 2022 #Ramadan working hours for private & public sectors

The UAE has announced 2022 Ramadan working hours for the private sector.

Employees in the private sector will have their working days reduced by two hours during Ramadan. The news was shared on Tuesday March 15 that the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE UAE) “reduces working hours for private sector employees during Ramadan by two hours daily”.

#MOHRE reduces working hours for private-sector employees during Ramadan by two hours daily. #UAE #Ramadan pic.twitter.com/UzuUG5HJjv

— MOHRE_UAE وزارة الموارد البشرية والتوطين (@MOHRE_UAE) March 15, 2022

It was previously announced that Ramadan working hours for public sector employees would be be Monday to Thursday from 9am until 2.30pm and from 9am until noon on Fridays. 

On Monday March 14, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced the return of iftar tents for Ramadan 2022. NCEMA shared guidelines for iftar tent setup to ensure public safety and to be in line with current COVID-19 guidelines in the UAE. 

This is the first time that iftar tents are permitted in the United Arab Emirates since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020. 

Ramadan 2022 is expected to start on Saturday April 2, but the final date has yet to be confirmed. The final date is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. 

It is anticipated that Eid Al Fitr 2022 will fall on Sunday May 1, depending on which night the new crescent moon is sighted. 

Eid marks the end of Ramadan.

Photos: Check out the architectural marvels that will remain at #Expo2020Dubai

With just three weeks lefts for the curtains to fall on Expo 2020 Dubai, crowds are swelling at the world fair as both tourists and residents scamper to make the best of the last 21 days.

But the fun and frolic don't have have to stop when the world fair ends on March 31. 

Long after Expo 2020 Dubai concludes, visitors can still walk through the sprawling site and enjoy some of the stunning architectural marvels that wooed the world. 

In fact, 80 per cent of the site will remain intact and the exhibition site will be transformed into a futuristic '15-minute' city called District 2020 with office spaces, residential buildings, parks, exhibition spaces and offices. 

Here are the 10 major landmarks that will stay long after the Expo officially ends. 

Al Wasl Dome 

The 360-degree translucent Al Wasl Dome, known as the beating heart and crown jewel of Expo, is undoubtedly the biggest Expo landmark that will remain intact. 

Al Wasl, meaning ‘connection’, in Dubai - with its steel trellis and distinctive geometry - is based on a recently discovered 4000-year-old Bronze Age ring. The Dome that hosted some of the world class performances such a s Coldplay will continue to be a gathering space where concerts will be held. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, the Dome is taller than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. At night, the Dome becomes an artwork with the world’s largest projection experience.

Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion 

The net-zero energy pavilion, which was one of the first attractions that opened to the public even before the Expo 2020 officially launched on October 1, will stay post Expo. 

Designed by UK-based Grimshaw Architects, the pavilion has a giant solar-powered canopy that can collect stormwater and dew that replenishes the building’s water system. 

The pavilion that has a self-contained micro ecosystem will become a children’s science centre and will continue to inspire people to adopt sustainable practices. It will host workshops and serve as temporary exhibition spaces to raise awareness about the environment and to inspire children to make changes in their everyday life.

The Mobility Pavilion, Alif - The Mobility Pavilion, named after the first Arabic alphabet, has attracted millions of visitors with its unique, ribbed and curved structure, will remain at the site.

Designed by Foster and Partners, the luminous structure showcases cutting edge technologies that human have used to advance.

The pavilion features the world’s largest passenger lift that carry more than 160 people, and a partly open air 330-metre track that allows visitors to see the future of mobility. After the Expo, the pavilion will host exhibitions.

Dubai Exhibition Centre 

Located adjacent to the Dubai Metro Route 2020 station, the Dubai Exhibition Centre can be called the business and networking hub of Expo. 

The sprawling 45,000 square metre exhibition space will remain as a world-class facility to host conferences, concerts and exhibitions post Expo. 

Gravity-defying water feature 

One of the biggest crowd-pullers at the Expo, the gravity defying water feature will also remain as a legacy. 

The water feature combines three elements of nature – water, fire and earth – to give visitors a surreal experience of water flowing upwards before it tumbles down 13-metre-high vertical walls, that cascades into a mysterious, multi-hued circle of fire. 

The orchestra score that adds to the experience is created by Ramin Djawadi, the Game of Thrones music composer and two-time Emmy award winner. 

Observation Tower 

The 55-metre-tall rotating observation tower that gives a bird’s eye view of the Expo 2020 site will also remain after Expo. The tree-lined upper deck offers sweeping views of the site while the base of the tower and the observation cabins glow at night as visitors are lifted into the sky. 

The tower is designed by London-based architect Asif Khan who is behind the three carbon-fibre Expo gates. 

The UAE Pavilion 

The second largest pavilion is the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, which stands tall as a giant window open to the sky reflecting the Kingdom’s past, present and future. The pavilion that features a gigantic LED mirror screen, interactive water feature and covers an area of two soccer fields, takes visitors on a journey through the flora, fauna, the beautiful coasts, and high mountains of the country. 

India Pavilion 

Nestled at the Al Forsan Park adjacent to the ‘Opportunity’ district of the Expo 2020 Dubai, India Pavilion is one of the largest pavilions at the Expo 2020 Dubai and symbolizes ‘India on the move’. Made up of 600 individual blocks, the facade uses kinetic architecture - a mosaic of rotating panels that showcase stories about the history, and literature of the country. 

Consisting of four floors, the pavilion will remain as an educational and cultural space and will promote innovation. 

Firdaus Orchestra Studio 

The Firdaus Studio located at the Expo site is the brainchild of Oscar-winning musician AR Rahman. 

It is the home for the all-women ensemble he mentored to perform at Expo. The studio will remain as a world-class creative space for artists and composers from around the world to collaborate. 

The studio aims to attract world class talent and promote local musicians and artists.

Cross-dressing criminalized once again in the UAE

The punishment can be imprisonment for a year or a fine of AED10,000 or both 🤭

Male cross dressers in the UAE can land in serious trouble under the federal decree law, according to the UAE Public Prosecution. 

In a recent advisory, the UAE Public Prosecution said that violators of the Federal Decree Law on Crimes and Penalties are men who dress in women’s clothes and enter any place reserved for women. This includes washrooms. A penalty of up to one year in detention, and a fine of up to Dh10,000 await violators, or “any male who.. disguises in a female apparel and enters in this disguise a place reserved for women or where entry is forbidden, at that time, for [anyone] other than women”. 

In case the male perpetrated a crime in such situation, this shall be considered an aggravating circumstance.